Avatar executive desk by i4Mariani in a corner office

Avatar, a desk described as a corner for the virtual community in 2015

i4Mariani

Umberto Asnago

Executive desk only
Avatar Most chosen configuration Executive desk only
$ 49,725

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Trade terms for professionals and design studios

Read the catalogue entry and check the date. Avatar is described as «a corner dedicated to the virtual community, to the place of meeting and discussion» — and the design is from 2015. Whatever one makes of the language, it explains the object: a contemporary executive desk conceived as a place where conversation happens, with deconstructed lines and, in the maker's own words, «many shapes and few rules».

The execution is anything but abstract. Tops of 220, 240 and 265 cm by 120 deep, six centimetres thick, in saddle leather, in veneer with a leather writing pad, or in veneer with crossed grain. The legs are rigid polyurethane formed in a mould, covered in leather, resting on a black steel plate. Handles in solid black walnut; a 39.4 × 39.4 in front extension turns it into an L. Designed by Umberto Asnago, brought to American offices by La Mercanti.

Technical information based on data declared by the manufacturer.

Collection: Avatar
Manufacturer: i4Mariani
Design: Umberto Asnago, 2015
Type: contemporary executive desk, conference tables and storage
Legs: rigid polyurethane formed in a mould, covered in saddle leather or leather, on a black painted steel plate; 32.3 × 13.2 in, h 26.8 in
Tops: black melamine coated panel (leather versions) or particleboard (veneered); 2.4 in thick
Desk sizes: 86.6 · 94.5 · 104.3 in, depth 47.2 in
Top options: saddle leather · veneer with leather writing pad · veneer with crossed grain
Front extension: 39.4 × 39.4 in, h 29.1 in
Saddle leather: stitching only on the saddle leather version, symmetrical on the top
Standard veneers: striped black walnut, ebony type
Cabinets: black melamine frames, sides always covered in leather, black lacquered plywood drawers
Handles: solid black walnut or lacquered to match the leather
Fixed pedestal: 23.8 × 43.3 in · Sideboard: 90 in
Storage: low h 82,5; medium h 119,5 with flip-up door; high h 198,5 with open units
Low tables: 23.6 × 23.6 and 47.2 × 23.6 in, height 15.9 in
Conference tables: rectangular and round

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Los Angeles, CA, USA · +1 855 335 8079 · info@lamercanti.us
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Documents and Catalogs

Avatar-Crossing Catalogue i4Mariani Finishes & Materials i4Mariani Case Studies Avatar CAD & 3D Files

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FAQ

What does the manufacturer mean by a corner for the virtual community?
It is the phrase used in the catalogue to describe the intent: a desk understood as a place of meeting and discussion rather than a private barrier. The design dates from 2015, which makes the wording a fair indication of where office culture was heading rather than a marketing afterthought.
Is this an executive desk or a meeting piece?
Both, by construction. The front extension of 100 by 100 centimetres attaches to the desk to seat visitors, and the collection includes rectangular and round conference tables in the same language, so one room can hold both functions without changing register.
What is the leg actually made of?
Rigid polyurethane formed in a mould, then covered in saddle leather or leather, resting on a black painted steel plate. The material is what allows a full volume with an opening at its centre; the steel plate is what grounds it.
Which handles are available?
Two options with very different characters: solid black walnut, or lacquered to match the colour of the saddle leather or leather. The first reads as a wooden detail on the front, the second disappears into the surface.
How large can the storage go?
Low cabinets reach 284,5 cm in width at 82,5 high, the medium unit is 119,5 high with a flip-up door, and the high cabinets with open units stand at 198,5. Pedestal and sideboard complete the desk itself.

How to present Avatar to an executive client

Five steps that use the object's own story, then close on the specification.

Lead with the date
A desk described in 2015 as a corner for the virtual community is a conversation starter that survives the meeting. Use it, then move to the object.
Explain the leg
Moulded polyurethane covered in leather on a steel plate. Clients expect wood or metal; the answer is neither, and that is the point of the design.
Size it against the room
220, 240 or 265 cm at 120 deep, six centimetres thick. Confirm the chair and the visitor positions at the same time.
Show how the room grows
Front extension for two visitors, then sideboard, cabinets and a round or rectangular conference table from the same collection.
Close on the handle
Solid walnut or lacquered to match the leather. La Mercanti brings both, since this is the detail the client touches every day.

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